Delray Community Redevelopment Agency may change grant funding

Nonprofits and businesses in Delray Beach that need help getting on their feet turn to the Community Redevelopment Agency.

At Thursday's meeting, the CRA board approved funding nonprofits such as the Spady Museum and Delray Beach Public Library, but there will be changes to when these groups receive their money in the future.

At the Sept. 12 meeting, Lori Hayward, the agency's finance director, suggested modifying the dates when the agency hands out the money so the CRA can ensure the groups are using the money properly.

The board agreed and approved issuing payments in October and January as usual, but waiting until July to issue the next payment, so they have ample time to review April's report of how the money was spent. The final installment will come in October.

The nonprofit's report must adhere to the 'A Guide,' which stands for Achieving Goals Using Impact Driven Evaluation. The guide outlines the rules regarding how the CRA money can be spent.

The board, in an earlier workshop meeting Thursday, also discussed making revisions to the grants businesses apply for.

While nothing has been decided, the board gave CRA officials input on what changes they would like to see come back for future approval.

To encompass the CRA mission of eliminating blight, Elizabeth Burrows, the CRA's marketing and grants director, presented a plan that focuses on "target areas" of the city that need the most attention.

"We don't think our target areas are specific," Burrows said.

The board agreed, and it outlined the West Atlantic Redevelopment area, the downtown area that backs into the FEC railroad tracks and the land north of George Bush Boulevard as key focus areas.

Because these parts of town need the most help, the board will consider adopting a rule which allows them to receive additional money.

Another possible change will come about whether the CRA should pay for roof repairs.

Burrows said the CRA had four requests to fix roofs this year that totaled more than $56,000. This drained the account responsible for helping with overall site development.

Since the request for grant money is on a first-come, first-serve basis, Burrows suggested setting a lower reimbursement rate for repairing roofs or eliminating paying for them completely.

"Roof repairs are really expensive," said board member Annette Gray, who would not like to fund roof repairs at all. "They deplete our funds so quickly and so greatly."

But board member Herman Stevens didn't want to dismiss the idea too quickly.